I know it's a bit of a mess but hear me out:

Everyone is Cap compliant after this deal. The 2nds go to compensate teams who are retaining cap $$ to get the deal done AND keep everyone cap compliant.

Each team gets a Defense retool. And some prospects get a new opportunity. Rust had to go to make the cap #'s work.

Looking for feed back, but please keep it clean. This is without extensions in place and each team knew they were not keeping their own FA'S so they move them to get an opportunity with a different one.

Calgary won't trade Pelletier. Not as part of a deal that doesn't include something they really need/want anyhow. Pesce is another pending UFA too Calgary has too many of those already.

Easy no for the Canes, we don’t need anymore Dmen and we are not receiving anything back to flip for a top 6 PP forward

I thought about putting Cary in there instead. Do you think that makes a difference? I figured five Pesce a chance now to meld with the D guys CGY has and see what happens - this is assuming Hanifin is not resigning.

I thought Rust would be the top-6/PP guy CAR needed. Swing and a miss?

Also if Pesce won't resign I thought getting Hanifin might be a better fit.... unless you can get a deal for someone with term obviously. I just didn't see a better fit. But would like to hear who you think works better?

Cary? Did you mean Connor Zary? Dunno if the Flames would trade him right now either. Pelletier, Zary, Coronato and Wolf are all very unlikely to be traded at this time but for a good not too old top 6 right shooting goal scoring forward one of the 3 forward prospects could be made available.

Hanifin will likely be traded to a team he will extend with. Pesce would be very interesting if both Hanifin and Tanev get traded but if it's just Hanifin being moved the Flames don't need a top 4 D coming back.

Sorry about the typo!! I should have reread that first. But yes I agree those 4 are the least likely getting traded, but wondered if this was enough to move the needle to pry one of those 4. Even still I figured Kylington still is little in limbo, they might want another D coming back, but I definitely could be wrong in that one

We just don’t need another Defenseman so Hanifan does nothing, besides I don’t think he and Brind’Amour see eye to eye, thus the trade to Calgary to begin with. As for Rust, Rakell would be a better fit IMO and I don’t think you’d go there.
The Canes are poised to get the cup, if we make a trade it will be for a top winger or Center, who has a better than average PP shot, someone like Nylander. The Canes have stated they will not Rush Svech back into action, so a trade for Nylander may put Svech on LTIR which by the time he is illegible to come back the team cap hit will be below the cap.

Canes aren’t doing this. First of all, and move sending out an RD for a LD is stupid considering that 1 of Orlov or Skjei is already poised to be playing on the 3rd pair. Rust would be playing on the 3rd line in Carolina, since the only player he might beat out of the top 6 would be Bunting, and I highly doubt that ends up being the case. Not to mention, that deal is not aging well.

That's a great point; I had not thought about him and Brind'amour being an issue, I was thinking that was just the move they could make at the time. But if the coach had an issue with him then there is no point.

I like the idea of Nylander, just not sure they will give up what TOR wants, but that could be a really good idea.

As for Rackell, I agree I don't see PIT doing that, but if something else went back to PIT they might consider it.

As for playing off-handed is not as big of an issue as people make it out to be. You're not going to avoid playing someone better because of what hand they shoot with. That said, there are transitional reasons why strong side in the boards makes sense. I could see either Skjei or Orlov on the 3rd pairing already; which gives you arguably one of, if not the deepest top6 D pools in the league. And in case of a serious injury you already have a top4 D to slide in. So, it's not stupid. Not necessary, I will give you, but hardly "stupid".

As for Rust, I would have had him on the second line. Aho's line didn't need him, but I saw him slotting on the the second line wing. Having Bunting play 3rd line match ups is only going to help his numbers - depending on who ends up centering that line. He needs a solid playmaker at C like he had in TOR. I don't see him as a play driver, but a good finisher/net-driving presence. Whereas I see Rust better at driving the play. Just MHO